This invention relates to a catheter for radio frequency (RF) ablation which is provided with a cooled electrode and method.
Catheters for RF ablation have heretofore been provided. However, difficulties have been encountered with such catheters in that it has been difficult to achieve lesions of sufficient size. Increasing the RF power to the catheter in an attempt to increase the size of the lesions has caused degradation of the blood in the region where ablation is taking place. Such blood degradation has caused products of the degradation to be deposited on the electrode surface greatly increasing the impedance. In addition, it has been found that increased power levels create undesirable heating of the blood which can create blood clots. There is, therefore, a need for a new and improved catheter for RF ablation which overcomes these disadvantages.